Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02698197 2010-01-15
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ARMOUR REPAIR SYSTEM
Technical Field
[001] The present invention is directed to the repair of armour vehicles or
armour
plates. In particular, the invention is directed to a battlefield repair patch
and patch
system that can be applied quickly and without specialized skill and can be
used on
both metallic and composite type armour systems.
Background of the Art
[002] It is often necessary in modern warfare to provide a battlefield repair
to
damaged armour plate of armour vehicles. Once an armour plate has received
damage, it becomes a focus for subsequent attacks as the area may already be
perforated or certainly weakened. It is important to be able to complete a
battlefield
repair in a simple and effective manner even if the repair is essentially
temporary,
until the armour panel can be replaced or repaired in a more permanent manner.
[003] It is certainly known to weld repair patches to metallic armour panels,
however, this requires specialized equipment and skill that is not normally
available
on the battlefield. The process is also time consuming and has not proven
particularly effective. This process is also not applicable to composite
armour
systems or vehicles.
[004] United States Patent 5,259,549 discloses a method to attach a repair
patch
to an armour plate by securing of a series of specialized hollow cylinder
elements
that can be welded to the armour plate by means of an oxygen lance. Once these
cylinders have been appropriately attached to the plate, they provide a
suitable
means for mechanically securing of an armour repair patch to the armour plate.
Basically, the armour repair patch has a series of ports and these cylinders
in the
preferred embodiment pass through the ports in the repair patch. The cylinders
include a threaded portion on the exterior thereof and thus, the repair patch
can be
mechanically fastened to the armour plate by a nut and bolt type connection.
[005] This patent also discloses an arrangement for providing a temporary weld
of the armour plate to the vehicle.
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[006] The system of United States Patent 5,259,549 is directed to battlefield
repair of armour plate, however, this system still requires specialized
equipment
and skill to complete the battlefield repair. This repair would also be
somewhat
time consuming and could not be used to repair a composite armour panel or
vehicle.
[007] The present invention provides a convenient simplified approach for
repair
of damaged armour plate that can be carried out quickly and without
specialized
skill. This armour plate can be part of or additional panels carried by an
armour
vehicle.
Summary of the Invention
[008] An armour patch repair systems for repairing armour substrates of an
armour vehicle or associated therewith according to the present invention
comprises a series of pre-manufactured patches of different sizes where each
patch is of a composite construction. Each patch includes an armour body
member, a fabric layer extending over a top surface of the body member and
beyond the sides thereof, and adhesive layer on a bottom surface of the armour
body member and a bottom surface of the fabric layer and a removable
protective
layer covering the adhesive layer. The removable protective layer is removed
when
said patch is to be adhesively secured to an armour substrate.
[009] An armour patch repair system according to an aspect of the invention
includes generally planar patches for securement to a flat armour panel or
armour
substrate, corner patches for securement to two armour panels at a corner
junction
therebetween and contoured patches for securement to a curved armour
substrate.
[010] In a different aspect of the invention, the series of patches include at
least
some tapered edge patches. The body member of each tapered edge patch has at
least some tapered side edges defining a bottom surface of said body member
that
is larger in area relative to the top surface of the body member.
[011] In a further aspect of the invention, the series of patches include at
least
some straight edge patches. The body member of each straight edge patch has at
least some straight side edges allowing straight edge abutment of two straight
edge
patches.
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[012] In a preferred aspect of the invention, the fabric layer is adhesively
secured
to and overlays side edges of the body member of the patches.
[013] In an aspect of the invention, the series of patches include corner
patches,
contoured patches and different shaped planar patches.
[014] In a further aspect of the invention at least some of the patches are
shaped
to cooperate with other patches to cooperatively repair a damaged area of a
size
greater than the area any one of the patches can individually repair.
[015] An armour repair patch system according to the invention is of a
composite
construction comprising an armour body member, a fabric layer extending over a
top surface of the body member and beyond the sides thereof. An adhesive layer
is provided on a bottom surface of the armour body member and a bottom surface
of the fabric layer. A removable protective layer covers the adhesive layer
and is
removable by peeling thereof to expose the adhesive layer and allow adhesive
securement of the patch across a damaged area of an armour plate or vehicle.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[016] Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings,
wherein:
[017] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the repair patch of the
present
invention;
[018] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a series of body members of different
shapes used in the repair patch system;
[019] Figure 3 is a partial perspective view showing a damaged armour plate
being repaired by a repair patch.
Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment
[020] The repair patch 2, as shown in Figure 1, includes a body member 4,
preferably of a ceramic plate type material that is applied over a damaged
portion of
an armour plate. Basically, the body member will extend across the damaged
area
and is typically supported by the armour plate about the damaged area. The
body
member traverses and covers the damaged area and has edge support typically
about the entire periphery body member. For example, an eight inch diameter
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patch may include a six inch diameter body member suitable for repairing an
armour plate having a damaged hole of approximately two to three inches.
(021] The repair kit preferably includes a series of different repair patches,
such
as repair patches 20, 22, 24, 28 and 30 shown in Figure 2, with some of these
patches specialized for corner repair of armour plate and others for repair of
planar
sections of armour plate. The series of patches are of different sizes whereby
the
appropriate patch can be selected for the particular damaged area.
[022] The repair patch 2 shown in Figure 1 includes the body member 4 having a
top surface 6 and a bottom surface 8. The sides of the body member 4
preferably
include tapered sidewalls 10. These tapered sidewalls improve securement of
the
oversized fabric layer 16 to the sidewalls with this fabric layer extending
beyond the
sidewalls. The bottom surface 8 of the body member 4 includes the adhesive
layer
12. In addition, the adhesive layer 12 extends beyond the sidewalls 10 and
engages the oversized fabric layer 16. The lower surface of the adhesive layer
12
includes a removable protective layer 14. This layer 14 is easily separated
from the
adhesive layer by hand and without tools to expose the adhesive layer 12 for
securement to armour plate as generally shown In Figure 3.
[023] Preferably, the relationship of the adhesive layer 12 and the releasable
protective layer 14 is well known and commonly used with respect to pressure
sensitive tapes, labels and other pressure sensitive adhesive applications.
[024] In order to repair a damaged plate shown as 50 in Figure 3, an
appropriate
repair patch is chosen from the repair kit where the body of the repair patch
will
cover the hole 52 in the damaged plate 50. As can be appreciated, the hole 52
might only be a partially torn recess or indentation and need not be a
perforation.
Once the appropriate size of repair patch has been selected, the area of the
armour
plate about the hole 52 may be quickly cleaned to remove dirt or other
contamination that would reduce the strength of the adhesive securement of the
repair patch to the damaged p' late 50. Once this has been accomplished, the
protective layer 14 is removed from the adhesive layer 12 and the repair patch
is
appropriately placed over the hole with the repair patch pressed against the
damaged plate 50 to effect securement by the adhesive layer 12. The adhesive
layer 12 is typically a pressure sensitive adhesive and a strong securement of
both
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the ceramic body 4 and the oversized fabric layer 16 to the armour plate is
achieved.
[025] The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a pressure
sensitive
adhesive where the adhesive layer is covered by the protective layer 14. In
this
way, the protective layer is removed and the repair patch pressed onto the
damaged plate 50. As can be appreciated, this field repair can be completed
quickly and does not require any specialized skill. Additional chemicals for
cleaning
of the area about the damaged area of the plate, may be provided as part of
the kit,
to improve the adhesive securement of the repair patch to the damaged plate.
It is
possible to apply a first adhesive layer to the damaged plate about the hole
62 that
cooperates with a second adhesive layer of the armour patch such that it is
brought
into contact with the first layer provided on the armour plate. These two
layers can
cooperate with the underlying armour substrate to positively secure and
maintain
the repair patch in position. The present repair patch is a system does not
require
specialized tools or user expertise to complete an armour plate repair.
[026] The repair kits can be provided in appropriate colors for blending with
the
armour plate for which they are intended to be used. It is desirable to have
the
repair patch blend with the armour plate to reduce the possibility of a
subsequent
focused attack on the damaged area.
[027] The battlefield repair patch of the present invention utilizes pre-
manufactured patches that are easily applied in the field without specialized
training
or equipment. Preferably, a repair patch kit is provided having a series of
different
pre-manufactured patches of different sizes and shapes for repair of different
damaged area. Corner or edge patches are provided as well as a series of
straight
edge patches, such as armour patches 24, 28 and 30 shown in Figure 2 where
patches may be abutted at their straight edge 32, to cover a larger damaged
area
34. The adhesive securement of the repair patch to a damaged area is easily
accomplished and the actual size of the repair kit is space efficient. This
repair
patch system is applicable for base line armour repair without welding as well
as
the repair of add-on armour panels. The patches include a pre-finish and thus
do
not require painting in the field. The repair patches are relatively
lightweight and
preferably include a ceramic composite armour body member. As outlined above
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the repair patches can be sized and shaped to allow cooperation therobetween
for
repair of a larger area.
[028] Although various preferred embodiments of the present Invention have
been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in
the art, that
variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the
invention or
the scope of the appended claims.
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